Foldable sunshade frame



B. B. MYERS.

.FOLDABLE SUNSHADE FRAME.

- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1919- 13073040.

Patented Feb.

I V INVENTOR Bun-rpm B Mvzns PATENT OFFICE.

113m B. m, 01' I408 Gm CALIFORNIA.

IOIIDABLE SUN'SBL'DI rmr. I

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

', Anplleatlon filed llovember 0, 1919. Serial Re. 886,114.

To all :whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bmrrna B. MYnRs, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Los Angeles, in the county of s Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in FoldableSunshade Frames, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a foldable frame and particularly pertains toa support for a sunshade of the type set forth in United States LettersPatent No. 1,297,225 issued to me March 11, 1919.

It is the ob'ect of this invention to provide a frame or su porting aflexible covering of fabric or t e like whereby a substantiallyrectangular canopy may be formed, which is especially applicable or useas a sunshade and shelter for bathers.

Another object is to provide a frame of the above character which isfoldable so that it may be collapsed into a compact space and renderedconvenient for storage and trans ortation.

A rther object is to provide a foldable frame which is so designed thatit may be made of few light parts so assembled as to afford a strong andsubstantial structure and adapted to be securely locked in its openposition a ain'=+ accidental collapse.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame as seen in its open positionand adapted to receive the canopy as indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the frame showing it in a partlyfolded position.

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of the frame in its folded position.

In carryin out my invention, I form a frame embo ying a horizontal topbar 4 fitted at its ends with foldable side standards 5 and 6 pivotedadjacent to the ends of the top bar. In formmg the connection betweenthe top bar and the standards, the ends of the top bar are turneddownwardly, as indicated at 'Z, to which the standards are secured bypivot pins 8. A flange 9 is formed on each portion 7 to form an abutmentfor limiting the outward pivotal movement of the standard; this flangeextendin alon side the outer edge of the standar axial y of the pivotalmountin'g thereof.

Each standard is formed of a plurality of sections 10 and 11 which areconnected together by a ivot pin 12, so that the sections may be fol edtogether and swung on the pivot 8 to extend substantially parallel withthe bar 4.

As a means for. substantially locking the sections 10 and 11 inalinement with each other the lower section 11 has an elongated and siihtly tapered end portion 13 adapted to over ap the up r section 10 andto receive a sleeve 14 s idable on the section 10 and adapted toencircle both the section 10 and the extended portion 13 of section 11to retain the sections in alinement and securely hold them againstpivotal movement relative to each other in their open position.

The lower ends of the standards are preferably pointed to permit theirbeing readily forced into the ground. The elements just describedconstitute the main portion of the foldable frame and when unfolded andplaced in position, constitute a single to bar sup orted at each end ona single stan ard an forming a substantially rectangular structure. Animportant feature of this invention resides in means whereby this singlesupport may be ada ted to carry and form a frame for a box 1' e canopy.This means is here shown as residing in a air of foldable end arms 15and 16 pivotal y mounted relative to the top bar 4. adjacent to the downturned end portions 7; these arms being connected by pivots 17 to atransverse supporting plate 18 fastened to the top bar so as to adaptthe arms to swing in a virtually horizontal plane, and the plate 18having upturned end flanges 19 arranged to project in the path of travelof the outward movement of the arms 15 and 16, and to position thelatter in alinement with each other, and extending at right angles tothe top bar.

spring plate 20 secured to the upper face of the top bar and having alimited yieldable upward movement relative thereto has down turned sideflanges 21 adapted to project alongside the arms 15 and 16 opposite toflanges 19, so as to cooperate with the latter in holding the armsagainst movement in their open position; the s ring plate being adaptedto be bent upwardly to permit the arms 15 and 16 to be swung inwardlyinto their folded position alongside of the vtop bar 4: where theirouter edges will be en and engaged by aged by the down turned flanges21, wherey the arms will be securely held in their folded position, asshown in Figure 2.

The outer ends of the arms 15 and 16 are fitted with buttons 22 or othersuitable fastenin s for engagement with eyelets 23 or the li e indicatedin dotted lines of a box like canopy 24. This canopy is formed with arectangular top wall, indicated at 25, adapted to be supported on theframe formed by the top bar 4 and the arms 15 and 16, and has a backwall portion, indicated at 26, substantially conforming in size andoutline to the space encircled by the rectangular frame. The canopy isalso formed with side portions 27 adapted to depend from the arms 15 and16 and to extend downwardly into engagement with foldable cross arms 28pivoted at 29 near the lower ends of the standard sections 11, whichcross arms have buttons 30 or other suitable fastenings for engagementwith the lower ends of the canopy side portions.

In folding the frame, the cross arms 28 are turned to extend parallelwith the sections 11, whereupon the sections 11, on loosening the sleeve14, are folded to extend alongside the sections 10, which are then swunginwardly on their pivots 18 to extend substantially parallel with the tobar 4. The arms 15 and 16 are then swung inwardly the spring plate 20,as before described, thus folding the frame into a compact space forminga small package convenient for transportation.

I claim:

1. A foldable frame comprising a single top bar, a standard secured toeach end of said bar for supporting same, and a pair of arms pivoted ateach end of said bar so as to be adapted to swing in a virtuallyhorizontal plane and to extend outwardly on opposite sides of the bar.

2. A foldable frame comprising a single top bar, a standard secured toeach end of said bar for supporting same, a pair of arms pivoted at eachend of said bar so as to be adapted to swing in a virtually horizontalplane and to extend outwardly on opposite sides of the bar, and meansfor detachably locking said arms in their extended position.

3. A foldable frame comprising a single top bar, a standard secured toeach end of said bar for supporting same, a pair of arms pivoted at eachend of said bar adapted to extend outwardly on opposite sides thereof,and a spring plate at each end of said bar adapted to en age said armsto lock same in their extende position.

4. A foldable frame comprising a single top bar, a standard secured toeach end of sad bar for supporting same, a pair of arms pivoted at eacend of said bar ada ted to extend outwardly on opposite sides t ereof,and a spring plate at each end of saidbar adapted to engage said arms tolock same in their extende osition, said spring plate also adapted toold said arms in a folded position.

5. A foldable frame comprising a single top bar, a standard pivotallysecured to each end of said bar for supporting same, each of saidstandards comprising foldable memadapted to swing in a virtuallyhorizontal plane and to extend outwardly on opposite sides of the bar,and a cross arm attached to the lower portion of said standard.

7. A canopy comprising a cover formed with a rectangular top wall, adependent back wall and side walls connected to said back wall and tothe ends of the top wall a top bar extending longitudinally of said topwall centrall thereof, a standard 50-. cured to each en of said top barfor supporting same, and a pair of arms pivoted to each end of said topbar so as to be adapted to swing in a virtually horizontal plane and toextend on opposite sides of the trip bar at the intersection of the topand si e walls of said cover.

8. A canopy comprising a cover formed with a rectangular to wall, adependent back wall and side we s connected to said back wall. and tothe ends of the top wall a top bar extending longitudinally of sai topwall centrall thereof, a standard secured to each en of said top bar forsup porting same, a pair. of arms each end of said top bar so as toadapted to swing in avirtually horizontal plane and to extendon-opposite sides of the top bar ivoted to at the intersectlon of thetop and side walls of said cover, and means for detachably connectingthe outer ends of said arms to the cover.

9. A canopy comprising a cover formed with a rectangular to wall, adependent back wall and side w connected to said back wall and to theends of the top walk a top bar extending longitudinally of sai top wallcentrall thereof, a standard eecured to each en of said top bar for superth? same, a pair of arms pivoted to each end 0 said top bar so'as tobe adapted to swing in a virtually horizontal plane and to extend onopposite sides of the top bar at the intersection of the top and sidewalls of said cover, means for detachably connecting the outer ends ofsaid arms to the cover, and a cross arm attached to the lower portion ofeach of said standards adapted to be attached at its ends to the coverside portions.

10. In a foldable sunshade, a cover comprising a top wall, a back walland side walls, a top bar adapted to extend len thwise of the top wallcentrally thereo a standard pivoted to each end of said top bar forsupporting same, a pair of arms pivoted to each end of said top bar soas to be adapted to swing in a virtually horizontal plane and to extendon opposite sides of said to bar at the intersection of the cover topand side walls, means for locking said arms in their extended position,means for connecting the cover to each of said arms, a cross arm pivotedon the lower portion of each standard, and means for attaching the outerportion of each of said cross arms to the cover side walls.

11. In a foldable sunshade, a cover comprising a top wall, a back walland side walls, a top bar adapted to extend len thwise of the top wallcentrally thereo a standard pivoted to each end of said top bar forsupporting same, a pair of arms pivoted to each end of said top bar soas to be adapted to swing in a virtually horizontal plane and to extendon o posite sides of said top bar at the intersection of the cover topand side walls, means for locking said arms in their extended position,means for connecting the cover to each of said arms, a cross arm pivotedon the lower portion of each standard, and means .for attaching theouter portion of each of said cross arms to the cover side walls, eachof said standards comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sectionsadapted to be secured in longitudinal alinement with each other.

BERTHA B. MYERS.

